The Effects of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation on Central Pain in Patients With Spinal Cord Injury

The Analgesic Effect of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation Over the Primary Motor Cortex on Central Neuropathic Pain Patients With Spinal Cord Injury

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the analgesic effect of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) applied on motor cortex in patients with spinal cord injury who have chronic neuropathic pain.

• anodal stimulation of the primary motor cortex (M1)
• anode electrode: C3 (EEG 10/20 system)
• cathode electrode: contralateral supraorbital area
• constant current of 2mA intensity for 20 min
• twice a day with a more than 4 hours interval during of 2 weeks (from Monday to Friday, total 20 treatment session)

Inclusion Criteria:

• elapsed time since spinal cord injury more than 6 months
• stable chronic pain for at least 3 preceding months
• pain that was not attributable to cause other that neuropathic pain
• pain that was resistant to various types of medications or physical or complementary medicine treatment

Exclusion Criteria:

• any kind of metal implant in the head
• heart disease including having a cardiac maker
• family or personal history of epilepsy, or neuropsychiatric illness